The Couple that Saved Me
by xfilesfanatic
Summary: An observer doesn't realize what real love is... until she sees Mulder and Scully in a diner.


Disclaimer: You know the drill… I don't own the X-Files or the characters, and I am making no money off of this.

Note: Post-Irresistible

A/N: This is my first fanfiction. I welcome all feedback. Your reviews will only make me a better writer. So please, R & R.

The couple that saved me

_A moment to myself is what I need. Yes, some time alone. I forgot to call my boyfriend, again, and sure enough, he had a fit. How I would like to tell him that I feel as though he makes me call him every second, that I feel like I'm being monitored… but that would only set him off more. I mean, he just wants to know that I'm all right and that all's well with me…. Yeah; I'm overreacting…. He cares for me. Right?_

_So here I am at the diner. I just need to clear my head, and take a break from trying to make sense of the falling out we had a few minutes ago. Once I get something in my system, I'll call him and apologize. This whole scenario was, after all, my fault… I think_.

While sulking in my emotion, I was oblivious to my surroundings, in a trance and staring at the chocolate sundae I ordered, mindlessly poking at the ice cream with my spoon. I wanted to eat, but at the same I wasn't really in the mood to. Suddenly, I snapped back to reality at the sound of the diner bell ringing as someone entered through the door. I turned to see a tall, lanky man with hazel eyes and dark hair escorting a petite redhead with ocean-blue eyes to one of the tables. They were professionally dressed; wearing formal business-like suits and long trench coats. Obviously, they weren't from around here, so I assumed they must be here on business.

The man had one arm hugging her shoulders, and as they approached a table not far from mine, he motioned for her to sit down. Once she did, he headed over to the counter and bought two black coffees. I couldn't exactly tell what was going on, but it seemed as if the woman he came in with had been upset. Although she wore a composed, tight-lipped expression on her face, subtle hints of distress shone through and her eyes seemed void. Mentally, she was somewhere else. But she snapped back into focus when he returned and gave her a steaming cup of coffee as he took his seat next to her. Grateful, she took a sip and then sighed deeply. Despite the relief the caffeine seemed to bring her, it obviously wasn't enough, and the man must have sensed this, because he placed his arm around her again, and pulled her close. She leaned her head into his chest, and closed her eyes. He must have been trying to comfort her, because as he held her, he put down his coffee, gently ran his free hand through her fiery red hair, and, although I could barely hear, whispered softly to her something about "Pfaster never coming back." This must have been someone who hurt her or something, because at the mention of this name, she flinched and immediately fell back into her distant, motionless state. Her hands surrounded the Styrofoam cup containing her coffee, which she had lost all interest in finishing. Taking a closer look at the couple, or "partners," as that was the only appropriate term I could think to call them, I suddenly noticed that the woman had some bruising on her face, which I believe only confirmed my suspicion that she'd been harmed or traumatized to some degree sometime before coming here. And, now that I think about it, that's why the man must have been caring for her so tenderly. Again, he must have sensed her distress because he suddenly decided it was time for them to go.

Standing up, the man offered his hand to the woman. Although it was rude on my part to constantly glance over and try to listen in without being noticed, as I had been doing, I turned my head to the side to listen and heard him say, "Let's go, Scully. We've made our statements to the police, and we should probably get you back to the motel." After about five seconds of hesitation, she took his hand so he could help her up, and then he placed his other hand on the small of her back and escorted her out the door.

I couldn't explain why, but I was so fixated on the couple I had just been watching. Maybe it was because they looked attractive as a couple, and yet didn't act romantically with one another, or maybe it was because of the way the man was caring for…. _Scully_. I wasn't sure, but all I did know was that I couldn't take my eyes off of them, and before I knew it, I found myself looking outside the window of the diner, watching them as they walked to their car. Apparently, they had parked right in front of the diner, so I got a clear view of them.

As they approached the vehicle, the woman's "partner" opened the door for her and let her in the passenger's seat, and for a brief second, he placed a firm but gentle grip on her shoulder. _Scully_ exhaled deeply and looked away from him, after which he gently closed her door and made his way into the driver's seat. I saw he was about to start the car, but then was distracted when he turned to look at her. From the window, it was hard to tell, but she must have been emotionally distraught, because he stroked her face with his thumb as if he were brushing away tears, and then he gently caressed her face, in what seemed like an effort to relax her. Once more, he pulled her close, and this time he gently kissed her temple and whispered to her softly. Of course, I couldn't hear anything from here, but I know they were words of comfort, because almost immediately, her intense facial features relaxed. She fixed her gaze on him, as if to silently thank him for his support and comfort in the midst of whatever ordeal she was going through. He returned the same gaze, and stroked her cheek once more before starting the car and driving out of sight.

Once they were gone, I realized why I was so mesmerized by them. It didn't hit me until after they left, but what I had just witnessed tonight…. was LOVE. Yes, I just watched the most perfect demonstration of care, sensitivity, and warmth that I will ever see. It's hard to tell whether or not the Scully woman was romantically involved with the man she was with tonight, but it was beyond the shadow of a doubt that she was loved by him. Heck, even if they were only friends on the deepest level, anyone comparing her to me would no doubt see that she was more loved by him than I was by my own boyfriend….

Suddenly, I begin choking on my own emotions. It occurs to me that I was meant to see this couple tonight, so that I might realize that love is something I DON'T have in my own relationship. I never thought about it before, but when I reflect back on the couple, I can see that Scully means something to her partner… for whatever state their relationship is in, she is no doubt a special _someone_ to him. I, on the other hand, am a special _something_ to my boyfriend. He loves me, but in a possessive way. Well…. That stops here and now.

I jump as my phone snaps me out of my thinking process and I reach into my pocket to answer it. Caller ID tells me it's my boyfriend, so I groan and answer the phone in a less-than-exuberant tone of voice:

"Hello?"

"Hey, you failed to call me again. How can I ever trust you if you keep forgetting to call me? I'm starting to wonder if you even care for me at all." For the first time, I hear the ice in my boyfriend's voice and it sends a chill down my spine. How could I have not realized this before? I know now that things will never work between us…

"You know what? I'm fed up with this. I did care for you, and every time something went wrong, or you became angry with me, I believed it to be my fault. But as of tonight I see that I was wrong. I'm not perfect, but I'm not to blame for EVERYTHING, and I'm done pursuing a relationship that will never work. I'm done. _We're done_."

And with that, I hung up on him, blocked his number, and put my phone on silence before placing it back in my pocket. Finally, I paid for my sundae and left the diner, feeling content. In my mind, I was thanking the couple I saw tonight, for it wasn't until I saw them that I mustered the courage to abandon a loveless, and therefore hopeless, relationship. They are the couple that saved me. I never did get the man's name, but whoever he is, I hope the person I have a relationship with next is just like him.


End file.
